My Olympic Club, The Lake Course by Tiger Bernhardt

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

There has been a great deal of discussion about the Olympic Club Lake Course the last month of so. Much of it got away from what is great about this club and course. I will never know this course like Gib or several of the other members who have spent their entire life time there. I have played there for over 13 years but have only been a Member for 7. I have not been there in over a year due to this health issue. Yet, the members, staff and course never leave my mind. It is one of the great Athletic Clubs in the world. The members and many ou know on here are part of this greatness. Many stay in tough with me through this illness with emails calls and support on a regular basis. As a son of the south it make sit indeed special to have friends from the west coast take the time to root me on and to get back out there playing asap. It is a special place that is its own man so to speak. The first impression I got was just how beautiful the place was. The architecture of the clubhouse and the natural beauty of the course. I mentioned in an earlier post about great drives to a club and entrances. The Olympic club takes your breath away when you turn onto the Skyline Highway overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Gib took me over to the par 3 course to warm up. I was blown away watching the hang glider soaring down the coast as I hit a 4 iron to the first hole. It was so fun to play challenging and fun holes on a bluff over the ocean. The members have always impressed me. I have become good friends with many of them, some in the loop big time and others who are just good guys who enjoy their free time there.  It seems even when playing alone I meet a golfer who has an interesting story or life. I guess I have played with 5 or 6 Presidents of the club just showing up looking for a game. I had the privilege of representing the Club in the Carr Mara Invitational which we won. I have only gotten to play in 3 other competitions. That is the lone regret. It is a great club for those who like to compete. The course is what matters and not my experiences there. The first hole is a good warm up hole on its face. One needs to do nothing more than hit it in the fairway off the tee and then hit a rescue club to in front of the cross bunkers 80 ish yards in front of the green. Then wedge ones way in. The problem is the 3rd shot. The wind is very tricky and it is amazingly hard to get close. The green is hard to putt too.It appear benign but it is not.  I have 3 putted it as often as one or two putted. The USGA is making it a par 4 which makes it a heck of a tough hole and frankly imho one with too small a green for for a par 4. It now joins the next 5 holes as bruts. The view of the golden gate bridge half way down the first hole reminds one of where you are and what an incredibly cool place it is.  The 2nd hole is a great great hole. For me it is hard call as to whether to hit a 3 wood or driver off the tee. You cannot make par from the rough and the fairway really moves the ball from right to left. Naturally the hole is a dog leg right and one and half clubs uphill to another small green. You must stay below the hole as well. The driver gives me a 6 or 7 iron to the green where as the 3 wood gives a rescue to 4 iron. It is hard to hold the long iron, so it is a hard call early in the round. The fairway gives one a view of 3rd, 5th and 8th greens. You just smile as to what lies ahead. I might add I hit a 7 150 a 6 160 4 180 etc. or at least I did till now. but my roundsa t OLy Club were those distances.

[Mike Sweeney]

Everyday is San Francisco is a great day. I still say The Cliffs is the best course in the world and I have only walked a few holes with David Tepper.

PS. Great post by Katie today, she is a beautiful woman and I have yet to see a picture of her.

[Bob_Huntley]

John,

All I can say is that Olympic is no pushover. Just when you think you have the measure of the course the cant of any faiway will deliver you a knock-out blow.

Olympic, MPCC, Mountain Lake and a couple of others make you the guy that takes on the toughest tests.

Best wishes.

Bob

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

LOL Well I tried to finish but the sign out gca gods got me. I wlil try again in the morning. My Tigers are in a tough game to make sure they meet the Oregon State Beavers in reg baseball Saturday night. I plan on going to see them for the first time this year if we win.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Tiger, nice essay so far...looking forward to more.

[Billsteele]

One of my favorite  golf memories is an afternoon round at Olympic Lake on a  beautiful Sunday afternoon in the fall. It is a gorgeous course visually and I love how the initial holes give you such expansive and cool views of the later sections of the course and the surrounding area. I also think the 18th is a tremendous finisher...not a ball buster, but a hole that requires well executed and thought out shots. It's a bit reminiscent of the 18th at Inverness...totally different in design but neat holes that anyone can play. John, always good to read your thoughts. Hope all is well.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Well another try to get a few more holes in. The third hole is a rare bird in that it seems downhill par 3's are a dime a dozen. this down hill par 3 is anything but average. It plays 210 for me and will play up to 240 for the Open. It plays into a prevailing cross wind from the left. The green moves left to right. It is a well bunkered hole with deep rough all around. It is a tough up and down. If you miss left you are toast. That small green plays hard too, so holding the green requires a really well struck shot that lands in narrow front half of the green. A rational man would take a breath of relief if a par is made here. But 4 lies ahead which is tough as nails. Most of the players know if you get thrugh the first 6 holes near par you will likely have a good day. 4 presents challenges few holes do. It is a hard dogleg left. The tee shot is downhill and the 2nd shot is 2 clubs uphill. The fairway moves the ball left to right. it is very hard to stay in the fairway with a straight shot or even a slight draw. I am always pumped for the tee shot and second shot here. I normally hit a 3 wood to give myself a fighting chance to stay in the fairway. The bad part of that leaves me a 4 iron to rescue in and therefor a shot that barely clears the top of the hill and comes in low. You have to create a shot from the rough with a rescue or just give up on getting on. If you are in the left rough just give up and take your medicine. The green is hard right to right and back to front. It is one of the first 4 putt greens one encounters but not the last. A driver from the tee that is hooked leaves one a 6 or 7 iron in and the opportunity to leave the ball short and right of the pin which of course is blind from your drive. The putts are thinks of beauty and bring fear to the best in the game. I expect a few rounds to be ruined on 2,3 and 4 during the open. There is a great chance to make double or triple on these holes.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

The 5th is one of my favorites. It is a great downhill dogleg right. The fairway will not take a straight driver unless one takes it over the trees witch as most of you know or heard are really talll. It is a challenging shot for this low ball hitter. I tend to try and move the ball left to right here. Gib showed me a wonderful low hooking run up shot which I have copied many times from the left half of the fairway of when having a good lie in the rough. There is an incredibly cool tree just in the left rough that effects any second shot from there. Naturally the pros will blow it past this but for us single digit am's it is a great tree to make one create shots around. Another three putt or 4 putt green awaits you. It is hard right to left and back to front. You so want to be low and left of the pin. Any miss to the right of the green whether in the trap or not is tough news. There is a theme on this course. It is tough to get up and down from the uphill side of the green. The other theme is all the greens are small and tough as well as the need to think on the tee and pick your best way to get the ball in position to play a second shot to the green. 6 has anew tee which look miles back. After watching a replay of the 98 Open I could not believe how far he pros hit their tee shots here. This is the hole with the lone fairway bunker(left edge of fairway) on the course. It is perfectly located to get my tee shot. so it seems more often than not one finds them self in the right rough and well almost dead.  There is a big valley from in front of the green to about 130 out I think. So if one is in the rough the third shot will be tough tough to get close as the ball run downs to the bottom and along way below the green. The green moves right to left with the same problems one finds on 5. I am usually tired of getting beat up by now and look forward to the next 2 holes which are at least short. The 7th is a tough emotional discussion for me. I loved the old green complex. It was one of the best in golf to me. Well it is no more. The hole was moved back a little and made into a two tiered green. It has become a drivable risk reward eagle to double bogie hole. I really think eagle to bogie with the two tiered green. The 3 tiered was a true 4 putt triple quad risk hole. We will see how the pros play it. It has just become benign enough for me to not worry too much and know i may make birdie and maybe a bogie but par more often than not. This is the one place I break with the design team on. I understand history may not be with me. I just knew greatness when i saw it and the old 7 was great by any standard. The new is merely a good hole. The distance to the new 8 is a discussion item but one that is worth it to me. I like the new 8th. I think at 200 for the pro and 160 for me it is a great par three. It plays up a great tree alley that forces one to pick the club with height in mind. The green is slightly larger than most and moves back to front. It is tough but not as hard as many on the front. The setting is breath taking with the clubhouse in the background. Of course the old 8 had that too. i think this is a big improvement for the course and worth the small issues with distance from 7 green. It is a strong hole and different than the others as a half club uphill hole.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

9 is a great last hole on the front but upps it leaves the clubhouse and well the half way hut is after 10 so traditionalists may speak up. It matters zero for this is a great hole. It is a downhill dogleg right. The fairway moves one slightly to the left. The trees on the right are ball catchers. You have a good chance to never find your ball if you lose it right or cut the corner to close. The green is well bunkered and the opportunity to run the ball in is one of the better options if in the left rough. You apsolutely want to be below and left of the hole. The green moves hard back to front and right to left. It is a tough green to two putt as well if you are not below the hole.  10 is a great hole. It is a hard dogleg right with ball eating trees on the right. the fairway is generous enough to hit a slight fade or straight ball. however one can find the left rough with a straight driver.  The green runs front to back and is hard . It is a great change of pace. I is the 4th hole in a row where you can get your round back after the first 6. 9 and 10 are not easy, they are just not killers. It is mostly the fairways tend to be flat where as you are hitting with the ball above or below you on the first 6. It is a treat when the course takes one piece of pain from you. But beware for after your burger on the hotdog bun at the half way house the fight begins again. Much of my love for this course is how very interesting each hole is. I cannot and will not try to make  the pure argument for how changes should be made. I will  leave that to Gib and others who have a lifestime of history and study here. It is that good of course that a man like me who prides himself on this subject knows better than to go where he is not qualified. There have been too many changes over too long a period by people whose work I do not know well to pretend to be an expert on this subject here. But greatness and uniqueness is clearly here. This is not Torrey Pines or Congressional. This is a real US Open course and is being played at a true Athletic Club which prides itself on competition at the highest level.

[Joey Chase]

Really cool write up Tiger,  I have been offered an invitation to come walk the course this coming winter.  This has given me an added excitement for the offer.  Each hole sounds interesting the way you write about them.  Thanks!

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

11 and 12 are tough par 4s. Both play as slight dogleg but are really pretty straight holes. They play hard to me. The green complex is the key to 11 to me. It plays very long of the tee and if you get to far right the incoming shot is tough and you find yourself moving the ball with the green making it tough to hold. Try to hit it down the left or left center of the fairway. The green moves hard right to left. The fairway is pretty level. The green is well trapped with both sides covered. If you miss left kiss it good bye. The two tiered green is challenging beyond the obvious left to right movement. One needs to be below the hole and on the right tier. I have had some great low runner into this green over the years. Mostly because it plays long and I find fairway metals or 3 woods in my hands from time to time. 12 is where another tee was put in. You need a cart to get back there lol. I say that in jest. It keeps the hole strong for the pros. It is a hold where you want to favor the left half of the fairway to have the best angle at the green. You feel the shoot and the trees for your tee shot. Much like 18 at Augusta it does touch the nerves. The green is a tough one. It moves very hard from left to right. you can run it in but I doubt you will see the pros do this. The green is trapped front right and side left. The left trap of miss left is not good if par is your goal. You need to be below the hole or 43 putt is in the cards.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

13 is a uphill mid distance par 3. I hit a 5 iron or 4 iron while playing a half club up. many guys catch tree limbs here along the right. The green surface is blind to you. It will be a short hole for the pros. The green seems to run away from the front or play hard with strong movement right to left. I am not a huge fan of this hole but it does fit in the mix well. 14 is a great hole. It is a dogleg left with a huge valley infront of the green back to 150ish out. I should get my course guide out for these distance calls but I am doing this from memory and well a bit flawed I am after all this chemo. If you draw your tee shot too much the trees block you angle to this firm green that moves right to left. I cannot tell you the times I have a well played 5,6 or 7 iron into this green and watch it bounce hard and roll over the back. It tends to play down wind as well.  We are playing 13 ,14 and 15 along the road bordering Lake Merced. The Lakes influence is always there but you seem to be aware of it more with the road and Lake in view. I love to try and get up and down here which is my norm even after great drive and 2nd shots. The back to front speed is as dangerous as the right to left movement. The hole is well trapped but short is deadly with the hill coming into play.  It is an easy hole to airmail with the wind coming into play. 13 is lower and does not seem to let you be aware of the wind and sometimes the wind on 14 can sneak up on you. 15 is another short par three with a blind landing area. I hit a 9 iron to 7 iron depending on wind and pin location. The green is not like most of the others in the strong right to left is not as strong. The hole is well trapped with the one in front being especially deep and blind. The one short left and right are tough but not as tough as the one in front. The undulations are there and it is a tough green to hold even with a short iron.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Now the course get interesting again. 16 is a rare great par 5 with no traps but a bear of a hole. The trees make you feel their presence. They line both sides of the hole. From the tee you look left see 9 and 10 being the best holes of the Ocean hole from my point of view. There is anew tee which makes a long hole just that much longer. It is a driver, 3 wood and anywhere from a rescue to a 9 iron depending on wind and quality of shot for me. It is hard to hit in 3 for me if the rough happens. Occasionally I can get a rescue really flying with top spin and get to 170 or so out from the right rough. I do hit the driver but it would not shock me to see the pros hit a 3 wood off the tee to keep the ball in play. The fairway is level generally with arise near the landing area for your 2nd shot. The green has a great front bunker and sits northeast to southwest. It is a different look and feel than many on the course that seem to be more oval like. The green runs toward the right and a much needed halfway house on the Ocean course for the drinking set who need to find their courage to press again. I love this green which is not a hard as many on the front but a challenge none the less. 17 is a great par 5 that I am so please is being left as one. the green complex is not right for a par  4. It is a risk reward with much more risk and very little reward in this mans view. The fairway moves hard left to right with the left side being strongly tilted and all shots on the hole the ball will be below your feet. It is a tough drive to keep in the short grass with a 2nd shot that is every bit as hard ot keep in play. They put in a new bunker short right to make anyone with a brain avoid. that will make the pros thing twice about running the ball up to 50 out for the third shot. N matter your distance this is as hard a green to play as there is. Gib would make it a point to get quiet on tips here. It moves hard back to front and especially hard left to right. there are traps front right and left. the right side is shaved not all the way down. It will be nearly impossible to get up and down from there. You have to be below the hole here. There is no easy putt on the green. It is a thinking mans holes which required nerves of steel.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

18 is a short unique hole that plays down the hill and then back up with a club to club and half uphill. the trees right do eat golf balls. I mentioned the same trees on 9. The green grass under them is as green as any grass I have ever seen including Ireland. One hits anything from a long iron to a 3 wood to the bottom of the hill. It is all about straight. I like to hit a half driver or 3wood to about a 130 shot in. I often end up with closer to a 150 shot which is as long as you want for sure. The green is discussed at length. It is well bunkered left right and short. the green runs back to front with putt above the hole makes your knees knock. I have never seen a hole like it nor do I expect to find one. The green is an small oval that makes the best of golfers shake with fear. The setting for the 2nd shot and green are made for stadium concept golf. the clubhouse towers over the green like a Castle. It look like a cast of thousands are watching the drama unfold and conclude to their cheers or moans. It is a proper setting  for the best Athletic club in America settle the biggest championship in American Golf. The winner will know he was challenged in every way and won by being the best he had ever been for 4 days in June 2012.

[Patrick Kiser]

Tiger,

Great play by play perspective and commentary.  Thanks for sharing and posting.

[Tim Leahy]

Now how about your review of the Burger Dogs, Tiger.

[Mike Benham]

Now the course get interesting again. 16 is a rare great par 5 with no traps but a bear of a hole. The trees make you feel their presence. They line both sides of the hole. From the tee you look left see 9 and 10 being the best holes of the Ocean hole from my point of view. There is anew tee which makes a long hole just that much longer.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

The Burgers are top notch by any standard. I think it interesting how many of the really cool places have a unique half way house item. I eat mine without much on it so I do not really know the options like Mike or Kevin etc might. The Friday and Sat group I play with tend to be more concerned with other commodities for me to notice the toppings for their burgers. One might think how much easier it is to walk and eat a hotdog burger than the traditional round one. Olympic is a walkers course even though even in my best of condition found it to be a real hike. There is a lot of up on the course and the up from 18 green to the clubhouse is a hike by any definition. Take that for what it is worth from a guy who grew up in a dead flat city where the levee was the highest point in town without a structure on it. I am so emotional about the US Open being here. I so wish I was going to be present for it. However as hard as I tried and as kind as friends were to make it easy for me. The fact is I would be so limit to the stands at the practice range and near 8 and 18 that it did not seem worth it to put so many to that much trouble. I will be one glued to the TV guy that week. I told my daughter that the do not disturb sign is up on the door for 9 or so hours a day all week. Just slide the food under the door so to speak.

[Bill_McBride]

The Burgers are top notch by any standard. I think it interesting how many of the really cool places have a unique half way house item. I eat mine without much on it so I do not really know the options like Mike or Kevin etc might. The Friday and Sat group I play with tend to be more concerned with other commodities for me to notice the toppings for their burgers. One might think how much easier it is to walk and eat a hotdog burger than the traditional round one. Olympic is a walkers course even though even in my best of condition found it to be a real hike. There is a lot of up on the course and the up from 18 green to the clubhouse is a hike by any definition. Take that for what it is worth from a guy who grew up in a dead flat city where the levee was the highest point in town without a structure on it. I am so emotional about the US Open being here. I so wish I was going to be present for it. However as hard as I tried and as kind as friends were to make it easy for me. The fact is I would be so limit to the stands at the practice range and near 8 and 18 that it did not seem worth it to put so many to that much trouble. I will be one glued to the TV guy that week. I told my daughter that the do not disturb sign is up on the door for 9 or so hours a day all week. Just slide the food under the door so to speak.

Will be out west but not in SF, so will also watch on TV.   I hope to hell it's not on NBC, not sure I could handle a weekend of Johnny on Olympic!

[Matthew Petersen]

The Burgers are top notch by any standard. I think it interesting how many of the really cool places have a unique half way house item. I eat mine without much on it so I do not really know the options like Mike or Kevin etc might. The Friday and Sat group I play with tend to be more concerned with other commodities for me to notice the toppings for their burgers. One might think how much easier it is to walk and eat a hotdog burger than the traditional round one. Olympic is a walkers course even though even in my best of condition found it to be a real hike. There is a lot of up on the course and the up from 18 green to the clubhouse is a hike by any definition. Take that for what it is worth from a guy who grew up in a dead flat city where the levee was the highest point in town without a structure on it. I am so emotional about the US Open being here. I so wish I was going to be present for it. However as hard as I tried and as kind as friends were to make it easy for me. The fact is I would be so limit to the stands at the practice range and near 8 and 18 that it did not seem worth it to put so many to that much trouble. I will be one glued to the TV guy that week. I told my daughter that the do not disturb sign is up on the door for 9 or so hours a day all week. Just slide the food under the door so to speak.

Will be out west but not in SF, so will also watch on TV.   I hope to hell it's not on NBC, not sure I could handle a weekend of Johnny on Olympic!

NBC has the Open locked up for several more years at least.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I am afraid we wil here Johnny act like he has played there every other week for 20 years.

[Jay Flemma]

Great stuff, Tiger.  The write up is great and the sentiments even better.  Hope to meet you there next week.

[Bill_McBride]

Great stuff, Tiger.  The write up is great and the sentiments even better.  Hope to meet you there next week.

Jay, see post #17.  Tiger will be watching from home, unfortunately.

[Joel_Stewart]

17 is a great par 5 that I am so please is being left as one. the green complex is not right for a par  4. It is a risk reward with much more risk and very little reward in this mans view. The fairway moves hard left to right with the left side being strongly tilted and all shots on the hole the ball will be below your feet. It is a tough drive to keep in the short grass with a 2nd shot that is every bit as hard ot keep in play. They put in a new bunker short right to make anyone with a brain avoid. that will make the pros thing twice about running the ball up to 50 out for the third shot. N matter your distance this is as hard a green to play as there is. Gib would make it a point to get quiet on tips here. It moves hard back to front and especially hard left to right. there are traps front right and left. the right side is shaved not all the way down. It will be nearly impossible to get up and down from there. You have to be below the hole here. There is no easy putt on the green. It is a thinking mans holes which required nerves of steel.

Last Monday Tiger Woods played a practice round with Mark Soltau at Olympic.  Soltau works for Woods but is also a member at Olympic. 

I'm told Tiger hit driver - 5 iron into this hole.

[Matthew Petersen]

17 is a great par 5 that I am so please is being left as one. the green complex is not right for a par  4. It is a risk reward with much more risk and very little reward in this mans view. The fairway moves hard left to right with the left side being strongly tilted and all shots on the hole the ball will be below your feet. It is a tough drive to keep in the short grass with a 2nd shot that is every bit as hard ot keep in play. They put in a new bunker short right to make anyone with a brain avoid. that will make the pros thing twice about running the ball up to 50 out for the third shot. N matter your distance this is as hard a green to play as there is. Gib would make it a point to get quiet on tips here. It moves hard back to front and especially hard left to right. there are traps front right and left. the right side is shaved not all the way down. It will be nearly impossible to get up and down from there. You have to be below the hole here. There is no easy putt on the green. It is a thinking mans holes which required nerves of steel.

Last Monday Tiger Woods played a practice round with Mark Soltau at Olympic.  Soltau works for Woods but is also a member at Olympic. 

I'm told Tiger hit driver - 5 iron into this hole.

Sounds great to me. A par 5 where the best players can get there with a mid-iron if they hit the fairway. If they don't ... then it gets fun.